The Hidden Costs of Full-Time Hires
- Benefits: +$50-75K (20-30% of salary)
- Payroll taxes: +$17-25K (7-10%)
- Recruiting: +$50-75K (25-33% of first-year salary)
- Onboarding: 3-6 months before full productivity
- Failure risk: 40%+ fail within 18 months
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| Metric | Sobo Model | Traditional Consultant/Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $60-120K | $350-450K |
| Benefits & Overhead | Included | +25-35% of salary |
| Recruiting Cost | $0 | $50-75K |
| Time to Productivity | Day 1 | 3-6 months |
| Termination Risk | None | Severance + legal |
| Focus Quality | 100% strategic work | Mixed priorities |
Fractional Pricing by Role (2026 Benchmarks)
Sobo's pricing is diagnosis-first — the engine identifies which function is broken before quoting. The table below reflects market ranges for senior, vetted fractional leaders matched to a specific bottleneck. Light engagements (8–15 hrs/month) sit at the low end; comprehensive engagements (30–40 hrs/month) at the high end.
| Role | Monthly Retainer | Hourly Rate | Full-Time Equivalent (TCO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional CFO | $5,000 – $15,000 | $200 – $400 | $300K – $450K |
| Fractional COO | $6,000 – $15,000 | $250 – $500 | $320K – $480K |
| Fractional CHRO / HR | $2,000 – $10,000 | $150 – $350 | $180K – $280K |
| Fractional CMO / GTM | $5,000 – $12,000 | $200 – $400 | $280K – $400K |
| Fractional CTO | $5,000 – $15,000 | $200 – $450 | $320K – $500K |
| 3-Person C-Suite Stack | $15,000 – $25,000 | — | $900K – $1.2M |
Ranges reflect senior, vetted operators with 10+ years of relevant experience. Junior fractional consultants charge less but rarely match the ROI on a diagnosed engagement. For a deeper HR-specific breakdown see How much does fractional HR cost?
The Focus Advantage
A fractional CFO spending 15 hours/month often delivers more than a full-time CFO at 160 hours/month. Full-time executives get pulled into meetings, politics, and admin.
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